Goggle construction



Feb. 1, 1966 M. Y. WOOLFOLK, SR 3,231,897

GOGGLE CONSTRUCTION Filed April 16, 1963 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig. 5

1 OOOOOOOC Mari/n X Woo/folk, Sr INVENTOR.

BY 38 26 58 M -4% 1966 M. Y. WOOLF'OLK, SR 3,231,897

GOGGLE CONSTRUCTION Filed April 16, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Martin X Woo/folk, $1:

INVENTOR.

Aumqs 3,231,897 1, GOGGLE CONSTRUCTION -Martin Y. ';Woolfolk, 512,3849 Cherry- St, Zachary, La.

Filed Apr.16, #1963, Ser.-No.- 273,382

10 Claims. (Cl."214) United Stat Patent This inventionrelates to a n'ov'elanduseful goggle conshatterproof lenses and the liketobe usedrin connection *there'with, the instant invention includes means by which dust particles and the like may be prevented from enteringthe vision openings of the goggles "without using transparent lenses for this purpose.

Although transparent "lenses willprevent dust and the like from passing through the vision openings in a pair of goggles, the outer surfaces of the "lenses maybecome rapidly coated with foreign particlessuch as dust and the like, *thus in some instances "resultingin a serious impair- -ment ofthe vision of the wearer *of the gogglesuntil such time ashe may have an opportunityto remove thegoggles and wipe the outer surfa-cesof the lenses thereof. However, it is not always possibleforthe wearer of a "pair of goggles to remove'the goggles at thetime 'thelensesthereof become coated with light obstructing "particles and accordingly, the vision of the wearer of the goggles "is greatly impaired until such time as hecan wipethe outer surfaces ofthe lenses. Still further, continual wiping of 'dust particles and the like from the outer surfacesof a pair of lenses will cause the outer surfaces of the lenses to become permanently scratched "or peeked. Scratched or pocked lenses can also seriously impair the vision of -the wearer of the goggles and it may "therefore be seen that the provision of a pair of goggles with lenses "for preventing foreign particles such as dust "from "entering the vision openings in the goggles does notconstitute a solutiontothe impairment of the vision ofthe wearer of the goggles-in all instances.

While some goggle constructions have been provided "withmeans whereby-foreignpartic1es such as dust and the dike-may be continuously'removed from the'outer'surfaces of the lenses of the goggles by effecting arapid flow-of cleaning fluid such as aliquid or air'acrossthe outer surfaces of the lenses, these measures do not completely solve the problem .of impaired vision inasmuch as liquids 'flowing-across the outersurfaces'of the lenses willnecessarily cause obscured and distorted vision andjetsof air, with which foreign particles from the dustyambientat- "mosphere may commingle, directed across the outersur- .faces'of thelenses has a sand blastingfeffect'thereon.

It is accordingly thema in object of this invention to provide a goggle construction including means by which a protective curtain of air "is formed about the vision openings in .the goggles thereby preventing foreign particles from the ambient atmosphere from passin'gthrough -thevision'openings. In additionQthese curtains of protective air will also prevent foreign particles from gaining "access to the outertsurfaces of the lenses'ofthe goggles, if lenses are provided.

A further object of this inveritionyin accordance with -'the immediately preceding object, 1 is to provide a goggle construction including forwardly projecting "wall means defining and encircling'the vision openings or apertures in the goggles which has a :plurality of air 'outlets formed Patented Feb. 1, 1966 'the'reinand communicated with a single air supply header passage which in turn may be operatively communicated with a suitable source of compressed air. Another object of this invention, in accordance with the immediately preceding object, is *to :provide a goggle construction whose numerous air out-lets for forming "the 'curtainof'protective air about the vision openings in the goggles are positioned relative to the header portion or passage infa manner that will enable eachi'of the individual air outlets to be formed by drilling a straight passage 'in "the vision opening definingwall means of the goggles. In this manner, the production costs of the goggle construction of the instant invention may be maintained at 'a minimum.

'Stillan'otherobject of this invention is to 'providestra'p means "for supporting the goggle construction from the head of the wearer and including air inlet means communicated with the header portion of the air passage means of the goggles whereby the inlet line from the source of compressed air may be supported from the head s'trap of the goggle construction rather than from "the goggle construction itself.

A final object to be specifically enumerated herein is to provide a goggle construction in accordance with the "tion.

These together with-other objectsa'nd advantages which will become subsequently apparently reside in the details of constructionand operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side .elevational viewof the head of a personshown with the goggle construction of the instant invention operatively supported "therefrom;

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of the goggle constnlct'ion;

FIGUREB is anenlarged fragmentary sectional view taken "substantially upon the plane indicated "by the section line 33 'ofFIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a perspective'view of one of the outer rimpor'tions'ofthe vision opening defining-wall means of the goggle' construction;

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary sectional View similar to that-OPFIGURE 3 but showing a modified form of goggle construction adapted to also support the conventional shatterproof transpareriflenses; and

FIGURE 6 is 'a fragmentary enlarged sectional view taken substantially upon a plane passing "through the center of one ofthe vision'apertures ofthe goggle construction'and showing the mannerinwhich the air outlets formed in the vision opening defining wall means are capable of forming one "or more curtains of protective air about the vision opening.

"Referring nowmore specifically to'the drawings the numeral 10generrillydesignatesthe head of a-workman which is=shown in FIGURE 1 'of the drawings having the goggle construction' 12 of the instant inverition mount- "ed thereon.

The goggle construction 1 2 includes a'mainfrarne'or body portion 14 which is 'formed to conform :to i the face of 'the"w'earer-and includes a pair of forwardly projecting generally cylindrical walls '16 which define and extend about 'ope'n'vision apertures 18.

The rear peripheral edges 20 of 'the frame and body portion 14 are adapted to form a fluid-tight seal "with the ira-cenzz ofthe head-10 and havethe opposite ends of-the elonga'ted strap member 24 secured to opposite side @portions lthereofin any convenient manner. .It will be noted that the frame or body portion 14 as well as the strap 24 is to be constructed of flexible and resilient material such as rubber. With attention now invited to FIGURE 3 of the drawings it may be seen that the forwardly projecting walls 16 are generally cylindrical and that their inner ends are shaped to conform to the adjacent front surfaces of the body portion 14.

While the goggle construction of the instant invention is illustrated and described herein as including a pair of forwardly projecting walls 16, it is to be noted that a single peripheral wall could be used so as to provide a full vision opening sufficiently wide enough to enable a person to look through one opening with both eyes.

The outer ends of the walls 16 are provided with threaded counterbores 26 that define generally radially inwardly projecting shoulders 28 in the outer ends of the wall 16. An adapter ring 32 which is externally threaded on its base end as at 30 is threadedly engaged in each of the threaded counterbores 26 and is seated against the shoulder 28. The confronting surfaces of the shoulders 28 and the inner ends of the rings 32 are provided with opposing grooves 34 and 36, respectively, which together define header passages 38. Each of the cylindrical walls 16 includes a longitudinally extending manifold passage 40 which terminates at its forward end in the corresponding groove 34 and at its rear end in a right angulated outwardly directed branch passage 42 that opens outwardly through an inlet neck 44 supported from the corresponding side of the body portion 14.

The strap 24 has a delivery conduit 46 mounted thereon by means of suitable clips 48 and a fitting 50 is supported from the rear of the strap 24 and is interposed between two half-sections of the delivery conduit 46 supported by each side portion of the stra 24. The fitting 50 may have the outlet end of a delivery conduit 52 operatively connected thereto whereby a source of air under pressure to which the inlet end of the delivery conduit 52 is communicated may be communicated with the header passages 38.

Each of the rings 32 is provided with a plurality of circumferentially spaced bores 56 which generally parallel the longitudinal axes of the rings 32 and a plurality of inclined bores 58 which open outwardly through the inner surface 60 of the corresponding ring. The rear ends of the bores 56 and 58 open into the corresponding header passage 38 and it may be seen that the bores 58 form a conical curtain 62 of streams of air that converge to a point 64 while the bores 56 form a cylindrical curtain 68 of jets of air about the corresponding vision apertures 18.

With attention now invited to FIGURE of the drawings there may be seen a modified form of goggle construction generally referred to by the reference numeral 72. The goggle construction 72 is substantially identical to the goggle construction 12 with the exception that the outer end of the cylindrical walls 16' thereof are provided with counterbores 74 which together with the rings 32' form annular grooves 76 in which transparent safety lenses 78 may be seated if safety lenses are desired.

In the event the goggle construction is to be constructed so as to have only one vision opening and that vision opening is not substantially cylindrical, the interfitting portions of the single wall of that goggle construction and its ring may comprise detent ridge portions and grooves in lieu of the threaded connections utilized in the goggle constructions 12 and 72.

In operation, should the operator of a piece of heavy earth-movingequipment be moving in an extremely 'dusty v 18.v In this manner, any foreign particles such as dust moving toward the vision openings 18 will be deflected outwardly and forwardly of the vision openings 18. Accordingly, not only will the goggle construction prevent foreign particles such as dust from coming in contact with the eyes of the wearer, but they will prevent any dust from adhering to and lying upon the outer surfaces of the safety lenses of the goggles if safety lenses are provided.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A goggle construction comprising a frame adapted to be supported from and in contact with the head of the wearer and including forwardly projecting wall means defining and encircling an open vision aperture through which the wearer of the construction may look, said wall means including air passage means having a plurality of outlets closely spaced along said wall means and formed so as to effect a plurality of jets of air about said aperture when said passage means is communicated with a source of air under pressure with said jets of air directed forwardly of said aperture whereby dust in the ambient atmosphere will be blown from in front of the eyes of the wearer of said construction, said wall means including frame-like rim means removably secured to the free edge portions of said Wall means with frame-like surfaces of said wall means and said rim means disposed in opposing relation and including continuous grooves opening toward each other defining a header portion of said passage means, said outlets being individually communicated with said header portion.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein some of said outlets are formed so as to form jets of air which generally parallel the longitudinal axis of the aperture defined by said wall means and the line of straight forward vision through said aperture.

3. The combination of claim 2 wherein others of said outlets are formed so as to form jets of air which are directed forwardly of said aperture but converge toward said longitudinal axis.

4. The combination of claim 1 wherein at least some of said outlets are formed so as to form jets of air which are directed forwardly of said aperture but converge toward the longitudinal axis of the aperture defined by said wall means and the line of straight forward vision through said aperture.

5. The combination of claim 1 wherein said frame includes a pair of separate vision aperture defining wall means each including said passage means and outlets thereby providing a separate vision aperture for each eye of the wearer.

6. The combination of claim 1 wherein said frame includes strap means adapted to engage and support said frame on the head of the wearer of said construction.

7. The combination of claim 6 wherein said strap means supports a portion of said passage means, said portion of said passage means including air inlet means adapted to have the outlet end of an air pressure supply line removably secured thereto.

8. The combination of claim 1 wherein coacting portions of said removable rim means and said wall means define inwardly opening groove means adapted to have transparent lens means removably secured therein.

9. A goggle construction comprising a frame adapted to be supported from and in contact with the head of the wearer and including forwardly projecting Wall means defining and encircling an open vision aperture through which the wearer of the construction may look, said wall means including air passage means having a plurality of outlets closely spaced along said wall means and formed so as to effect a plurality of jets of air about said aperture when said passage means is communicated with a source of air under pressure with said jets of air directed forwardly of said aperture whereby dust in the ambient atmosphere will be blown from in front of the eyes of the wearer of said construction, said wall means including frame-like rim means removably secured to the free edge portions of said wall means with frame-like surfaces of said wall means and said rim means disposed in opposing relation and including continuous grooves opening toward each other defining a header portion of said passage means, said outlets being individually communicated with said header portion and substantially straight throughout their entire length, said outlets being disposed entirely within said rim means.

10. A goggle construction comprising a frame adapted to be supported from and in contact with the head of the wearer and including forwardly projecting wall means defining an encircling and open vision aperture through which the wearer of the construction may look, said wall means including air passage means having a plurality of outlets spaced along said wall means and formed so as to effect a plurality of jets of air about said aperture when said passage means is communicated with a source of air under pressure with said jets of air directed forwardly of said aperture whereby dust in the ambient atmosphere will be blown from in front of the eyes of the wearer of said construction, said wall means including a frame-like rim means removably secured to the free edge portion of said Wall means with frame-like surfaces of said wall means and said rim means disposed in opposing relation and having grooves formed therein and extending therealong opening toward each other and defining a header portion of said passage means, said outlets being individually communicated with said header portion and being disposed entirely within said rim means.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 897,290 9/1908 Jacobs 2l4.6 1,354,433 9/1920 De-Felice 214.l0 1,464,883 8/ 1923 Phillips et al. 2l4. 10 X 2,539,284 1/1951 Thomas 2l4.l3

FOREIGN PATENTS 49,105 7/ 191 1 Austria. 449,45 6 6/ 1948 Canada. 476,845 5/ 1929 Germany.

JORDAN FRANKLIN, Primary Examiner. 

1. A GOGGLE CONSTRUCTION COMPRISING A FRAME ADAPTED TO BE SUPPORTED FROM AND IN CONTACT WITH THE HEAD OF THE WEARER AND INCLUDING FORWARDLY PROJECTING WALL MEANS DEFINING AND ENCIRCLING AN OPEN VISION APERTURE THROUGH WHICH THE WEARER OF THE CONSTRUCTION MAY LOOK, SAID WALL MEANS INCLUDING AIR PASSAGE MEANS HAVING A PLURALITY OF OUTLETS CLOSELY SPACED ALONG SAID WALL MEANS AND FORMED SO AS TO EFFECT A PLURALITY OF JETS OF AIR ABOUT SAID APERTURE WHEN SAID PASSAGE MEANS IS COMMUNICATED WITH A SOURCE OF AIR UNDER PRESSURE WITH SAID JETS OF AIR DIRECTED FORWARDLY OF SAID APERTURE WHEREBY DUST IN THE AMBIENT ATMOSPHERE WILL BE BLOWN FROM IN FRONT OF THE EYES OF THE WEARER OF SAID CONSTRUCTION, SAID WALL MEANS INCLUDING FRAME-LIKE RIM MEANS REMOVABLY SECURED TO THE FREE EDGE PORTIONS OF SAID WALL MEANS WITH FRAME-LIKE SURFACES OF SAID WALL MEANS AND SAID RIM MEANS DISPOSED IN OPPOSING RELATION AND INCLUDING CONTINUOUS GROOVES OPENING TOWARD EACH OTHER DEFINING A HEADER PORTION OF SAID PASSAGE MEANS, SAID OUTLETS BEING INDIVIDUALLY COMMUNICATED WITH SAID HEADER PORTION. 